University President Georgina J. Bordado met with the Belgian Mission representatives (Flanders Government of Belgium and HoWest-Association of Universities of Belgium Representative) under TRIAS Southeast Asia for a future collaboration in the field of disaster risk reduction and management on December 12, 2016 at the Ecotel.

An initial collaboration was done through TRIAS on the development of DRRM in Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises. To enhance the international partnership, the Research Division in collaboration with the Regional Center for DRRM and CCA proposed partnership in major areas such as proposed technical assistance in research and building resilient communities through: project planning, management, and implementation; collaborative research in climatology/climate change; upscale institutionalization of capacities and investment of ICT based Early Warning Systems and use of local weather information and use of Post Disaster Needs Assessment System; provision of technical support to farmers, fishers and Small Scale Entrepreneurs (SSEs) in the implementation of good practices options including the use of Early Warning Systems, and local weather information; and provision of technical support to establish and operate climate field schools.

Mr. Jan Dessein, representative of the Belgian mission presented their proposed pilot projects in the Philippines which aim to create synergy and complement between actors, enhance capacity building through exchange and cooperation, build trust, and strengthen public support in West-Flanders for world-citizenship.